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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · bark · branch · game · board · lean · pound · can

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. can — to be able to
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. game — wild animals
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bark — to shout
  13. pound — a weight
  14. can — a tin
  15. board — to get on
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — bread
  18. board — a committee
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. can — a tin
  22. branch — a division
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com